Description
The recently endowed John and Marcia Price College of Engineering at the University of Utah is now accepting applications and nominations for the position of Chair in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. With nearly $700 million in research funding University of Utah is recognized as one of the nation’s leading research institutions and is a member of the Association of American Universities. The Department has a rich history and is one of the oldest Biomedical Engineering Departments in the country, with the Bioengineering and Biophysics department being established in 1964, and the current Department being established out of this in 1972. The Department offers ABET-accredited undergraduate degrees, M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Biomedical Engineering. The State of Utah, the University, and private donors have invested significantly in the College’s recent growth, and significant further funding and resources are expected.
The next Chair will be an innovative and energetic academic leader eager to represent and advocate for all departmental faculty, staff, students, and programs. The Department seeks a leader who will guide faculty hiring to improve student learning, grow enrollment, and advance strategic research and educational initiatives. The Department has open tenure-track faculty positions, which the next Chair can use to advance the Department. The next Chair will work with the faculty to build their research portfolios and deliver a premier engineering education to our students. Candidates must have an excellent record with international visibility appropriate for the rank of Professor and demonstrated leadership and administrative skills. The Department Chair is charged with leading faculty and staff members in advancing the department’s research, teaching, and service missions, and should have a demonstrated commitment to serving diverse students with a broad spectrum of academic preparation.
The Department faculty currently consists of twenty-two tenure-line faculty and two lecturing faculty. Its current research and curriculum encompass biomedical imaging, biomechanics, neural engineering, cardiovascular engineering, biomaterials, and therapeutics. In addition to the aforementioned engineering areas, the department has embraced emerging research areas in artificial intelligence, data science, genomics, gene editing, and bioinformatics. This has led the current faculty members to collaborate nationally and internationally. The Department is housed in the James L. Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building, a state-of-the-art facility designed to support flexible bioscience research laboratories that foster collaboration and interdisciplinary interaction. Additionally, the Department has offices and laboratories located on the Health Sciences Campus, alongside the University Hospital, Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Primary Children’s Hospital, Orthopaedic Specialty Hospital, the School of Medicine, and the College of Pharmacy. The University of Utah boasts a world class network of healthcare and research facilities that provide students and researchers with excellent opportunities in cutting edge medical science. Ongoing efforts to build synergy with the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine and UHealth include task forces focused on building awareness and direction for areas of strategic priority, PhD programs, and partnership research. The new chair would be expected to help influence the direction of these initiatives and work with other chairs in the college of engineering to develop and implement the task force recommendations. Examples of campus-wide initiatives include: data science and artificial intelligence, bionics, applied medical engineering, immunology, inflammation and infectious diseases, diabetes and metabolism, neuroscience, genomic medicine, and cancer. Many Biomedical Engineering faculty also hold joint or adjunct positions in the School of Medicine and the college of Pharmacy, and over 80% of faculty from the Biomedical Engineering department collaborate with clinical researchers on translational research projects.
Additional information about the Department and our current faculty can be found at https://www.bme.utah.edu/.
Under the direction of the Dean of the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering, the Chair is responsible for administration, faculty governance, and external partnerships for the Department. These external relations include collaborating with other campus entities, industrial and research stakeholders, and potential donors. The Chair leads in implementing strategic plans and priorities for advancing the Department’s status in research and education. In addition, the Chair has the responsibility for managing the Department’s eleven staff members, allocating financial resources, recruiting faculty and students, evaluating faculty and staff performance, guiding program accreditation assessments, and managing teaching resources. The Chair is also expected to maintain an active research program and contribute to teaching.
Candidates will be evaluated on their credentials, which should include a doctorate in Biomedical Engineering or a related discipline, their vision for the future of the Department, as well as their previous administrative successes, experience in consensus-building, and skills in engaging with community and campus stakeholders. The candidate should have sufficient expertise to direct a multifaceted academic department, the ability to articulate and promote the Department’s mission, a participatory management style, personal integrity, and a strong commitment to professional ethics. The Department is particularly interested in a leader who will further strengthen the graduate program through an environment that fosters nationally competitive research and encourages interdisciplinarity and collaboration. The candidate should be able to articulate a clear vision of how they would lead the Department toward a higher level of excellence. The University of Utah is particularly interested in candidates who have experience working with students from a variety of backgrounds and who are strongly committed to improving access to higher education for all students.
The University of Utah is the flagship higher education and research institution in Utah and offers exceptional benefits to its faculty. The University is located in the foothills of the spectacular Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake Valley metropolitan area offers a temperate climate, outstanding educational, cultural, and recreational attractions (including opera, symphony, theater, and world-class skiing, biking, hiking, and camping), and excellent medical facilities. Five national parks and several monuments, recreation areas, and National forests provide outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities. Utah and the Wasatch Front Area are undergoing strong economic growth, with one of the nation’s fastest-growing technology sectors. The University of Utah’s Technology Licensing Office is responsible for the launch of 330 companies and drives technology development, commercialization, and corporate engagement for the State of Utah.
Review of the applications will begin on April 30, 2025, and applications will be evaluated on an ongoing basis thereafter until the search is closed. Application materials should include (1) a cover letter highlighting the applicant’s qualifications and vision of the key initiatives in research, education, and academic leadership for the department (not to exceed 3 pages), (2) current curriculum vitae, (3) research statement, and (4) teaching statement. Questions may be directed to the search committee co-chair, {Robby Bowles, robert.bowles@utah.edu}.
Requirements
Candidates will be evaluated on their credentials, which should include a doctorate in Biomedical Engineering or a related discipline, their vision for the future of the Department, as well as their previous administrative successes, experience in consensus-building, and skills in engaging with community and campus stakeholders. The candidate should have sufficient expertise to direct a multifaceted academic department, the ability to articulate and promote the Department’s mission, a participatory management style, personal integrity, and a strong commitment to professional ethics. The Department is particularly interested in a leader who will further strengthen the graduate program through an environment that fosters nationally competitive research and encourages interdisciplinarity and collaboration. The candidate should be able to articulate a clear vision of how they would lead the Department toward a higher level of excellence. The University of Utah is particularly interested in candidates who have experience working with students from a variety of backgrounds and who are strongly committed to improving access to higher education for all students.
